


Stumble and Fall

by alphardhy



Category: Free!
Genre: AU, Chance Meeting, First Meeting, Fluff, M/M, Makoto's POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-06
Updated: 2014-11-06
Packaged: 2018-02-24 09:20:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2576270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alphardhy/pseuds/alphardhy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fluffy AU inspired by this prompt: Met while jumping into the same pile of freshly raked leaves in a park (alternatively, one jumps in and they met when no 2 kicks said pile of leaves).</p><p>Makoto and Haru meet when the latter trips on the pile of leaves in which Ran and Ren have buried Makoto.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stumble and Fall

He should have seen it coming. But he did not, and now he feels like crawling into a hole and hiding. Actually, no. No more hiding for today. He just wishes he had not had the bright idea to tell Ran and Ren that _of course_ they could bury him in the pile of raked leaves they had found, because _how could that end up badly? It would be too much of a coincidence if someone walked into this pile of leaves at this very moment and then fell and_ – Makoto, stop, you really, _really_ need to say something to the boy that is now brushing the mud off his hoodie while looking at you with an unreadable expression and impossibly blue eyes.

"I didn’t –" Great start, Makoto. Great start. Now you only need to remember how to form sentences that actually make sense. "I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to – I was waiting for –" He is stuttering again and waving his hands around at the speed of light, and he does not know why – okay, _maybe_ he does – but his cheeks suddenly feel a little too warm. "I’m so sorry, really."

Makoto is about to start talking nonsense – he just wants to ask the boy if he is hurt, but apparently his ability to speak is nowhere to be found right now and he is quite sure he will end up saying something ridiculous – when he sees the hint of a smile on the boy’s face and realises that he is stretching his hand to help him get up, which is _wrong_ , Makoto thinks, _because this person tripped because of him and he should be the one helping here_.

Once back on his feet, Makoto pulls a leaf from his hair and sighs. "Thank you. And sorry _again_. My little sister insisted on burying me here and," he stops, huffing out a nervous laugh, “you know the rest of the story."

The boy – Makoto wonders if he will ever know his name and then proceeds to ask himself why he is even interested in that kind of information in the first place – simply shakes his head. The smile, though faint, is still there, and his expression seems to soften a little when their eyes meet for a brief moment, so apparently he is not mad at him. Or _maybe he is just being polite, Makoto_. "It’s okay. I think it… was actually my fault? My mind was elsewhere and I didn’t see you, sorry."

Makoto wants to blurt out that it definitely was not his fault. But he does not, because suddenly Ran is back, and she is tugging at his sleeve insistently to catch his attention. Makoto lets out a soft _oh!_ of surprise when he sees the leaf she is proudly waving at him and quickly squats to fix her ponytail. Once he is done, Ran looks at the boy, who is now awkwardly standing there in silence, then looks at her brother, and then back at the boy. The later gives her a warm, genuine smile that reaches his eyes, and Makoto _inexplicably_ finds himself smiling too.

"I… should go," says the boy slowly.

"Oh, um – right. I’m sorry I kept you."

"It’s okay, really."

"So…"  _This is getting awkward, Makoto. This is getting really, really awkward, and –_

"Have a nice day!" Ran breaks the ice, and Makoto is glad that she is right there at this very moment.

The boy wishes them a good day too, and then he is _gone. He leaves too son,_ _and what if they never see each other again? He did not even ask him his name._

\- / -

If Makoto takes Ran and Ren to the park next Saturday, it is _just because_ they tell him they want to go back. And if Haru goes for a run in the park seven days in a row – well, it has nothing to do with the fact that he overhears Makoto and Ran talking about playing again with the fallen leaves soon.


End file.
